Peony plant

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a new and distinct cultivar of peony plant, a hybrid between three species, two shrubby and one herbaceous species, of the genus Paeonia, interspecific hybrid (Paeonia lactiflora×(P. lutea×P. suffruticosa), combination of species now known as Itoh Hybrids. The present cultivar&#39;s uniqueness is characterized by its outstanding yellow color with a superior tree peony flower type on a singularly healthy herbaceous plant, its excellent hardiness of flower buds and consequent reliability of flowering in relatively extreme climates, and, by its distinctive foliage and plant habit.

The present invention is a new and distinct cultivar of peony plant, ahybrid between three species, two shrubby and one herbaceous species, ofthe genus Paeonia, interspecific hybrid (Paeonia lactiflora×(P. lutea×P.suffruticosa), combination of species now known as Itoh Hybrids, namedfor the man who first discovered the cross in Japan. This cross hasproven difficult to make and ornamentally appealing plants have beenrare among its progeny, a large proportion of the seedlings showing moreor less severe faults of abbreviated petal formation and disease-pronefoliage. The applicant cultivar's uniqueness is characterized by itsoutstanding yellow color with a superior tree peony flower type on asingularly healthy herbaceous plant, its excellent hardiness of flowerbuds and consequent reliability of flowering in relatively extremeclimates, and, by its distinctive foliage and plant habit.

This peony was originated by me at the farmyard of my parents-in-lawnear Maryville, Mo. in 1969. The pollen (male) parent was Paeonia (LuteaHybrids) `Alice Harding`, an F₁ hybrid shrubby peony with half-hardyperennial stems, a vigorous, healthy grower of low, spreading habit,having yellow double flowers with distinctive red flares at the petalbases, and with flowers held on relatively short, sagging stemsresulting in poor presentation of the flowers, generally being coveredby the typically luxuriant foliage. The pod (female) parent was aChinese peony (Paeonia lactiflora) cultivar of which no record ortradition of a cultivar name now exists, now known as `Carr East #2` formy purposes. It is a distinctively durable plant with long lasting,blush colored, anemone type flowers and shows outstanding health, beingof a sort that is widely seen around old homesites, having persisted inplace for many years, often under indifferent or no care.

The hybridization was accomplished by hand pollination. The seed wasgerminated under my personal care and the plant first grew in 1970.First flowering occurred in 1973 at which time it was observed to be asuperior plant and was selected for further evaluation. The applicantplant is a unique clone and it has been propagated asexually for thepast 11 years both by grafting of crown bud scions onto nurse rootpieces and by division.

The applicant plant shows phenotypically that its prominentcharacteristics are the result of especially fortuitous segregation ofthe gene complements of its respective parents leading to anexceptionally favorable combination of characteristics in thisindividual.

The yellow flower color is of the strong, persistent hue found in plantsof the half-hardy Paeonia lutea ancestor and hybrid descendants of thatspecies. This yellow hue is reported to be due to the presence of one ormore yellow carotenoid pigments, as contrasted to the paler, creamieryellows of flavenoid compounds found in yellow flowered descendants ofcertain herbaceous species. The strong yellow color of the applicantflower is further enhanced by a prominent red flare at the base of eachpetal. There is also a faint suffusion of the same red pigmentthroughout the petals upon flower opening, of the color pattern known asblush, which in this individual imparts a golden cast to the newlyopened flower. This blush fades as the flower ages, leaving a cleareryellow petal hue at the end. According to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, a standard reference, the petal color upon openingis approximately 8B to 6C, passing to 4B at petal fall.

The flower type of the applicant plant is characteristic of manycultivars of the Japanese tree peonies (Paeonia suffruticosa), asymmetrically sculptured semi-double to open double form. It is made upof two to three rows of larger outer petals surrounding, in order,smaller inner petals, stamens and a prominent center composed of large,closely set green carpels, topped by large, curving, pink stigmas andencircled by a deeply incised sheath of a pale creamy, greenish color.The stamens are generally pale yellow with a red flush at the filamentbases and, occasionally, a small amount of pollen imparts a spot ofstronger yellow in the anther cases. The larger petals are consistentlywell formed to the petal end as contrasted to petal edges seen in someothers of the introduced Itoh Hybrid cultivars. The number of thesmaller petals present in an individual flower varies inversely with thenumber of stamens, these smaller petals apparently being formed fromstamen initials during development of the flower bud, the transformationoccuring sequentially beginning with outer segments and progressinginwardly along the phylotactic spiral, so that there is an abrupt changefrom petal segments to stamen segments contributing a characteristictree peony flower type. This variable degree of stamen transformationresults in the variable degree of doubling seen among the flowers. Thenumber of petals has been seen to vary from approximately 20 to 50 ormore.

The applicant cultivar opens its flowers over a period that isapproximately two and one-half weeks in duration with little diminutionin flower size or flower quality as the period progresses, in contrastto the shorter flowering period which is typical of individual cultivarsof the Chinese peonies and the Japanese tree peonies. The flowers areproduced one to three per stem with both the terminal and axillary budsproduced on relatively long peduncles, suitable for cuttingindividually. There is seldom any benefit to be obtained from removal ofside buds ("disbudding", as commonly practiced in producing Chinesepeony flowers). The flowers are held well out from the foliage, unlikethe pollen parent habit and that of many others of the Lutea Hybridsgroup, which have been the principal source of strong yellow flowercolor in garden peonies. Flowering stem posture ranges fromapproximately vertical to approximately horizontal in a mature plant,resulting in a relatively more favorable display of the flowers than isusually seen in the presently available yellow flowered peonies. Flowersize is large, ranging six to eight inches in diameter from matureplants under good cultivation.

The applicant plant has flowered young and reliably from year to year attrial locations ranging from Missouri to the Northern teir of States inthe United States. The herbaceous stems originate each spring from thebelow-ground overwintering buds, which have proven to be perfectly hardywherever tested during the past 11 years. This is in contrast to thesometimes irregular performance of the similarly yellow-flowered LuteaHybrid peonies in which half-hardy perennial stems are often killed incolder climates and only some of which can be expected to flowerprolifically or dependably from below-ground overwintering buds.

The applicant plant is a medium height, broad plant having relativelylarge and cool green leaflets which have more frequently incised marginsthan is common among other garden peonies. The plant presents arelatively heavy texture in the landscape, for its overall dimensions,compared to most other herbaceous perennials. Plant height is about 24inches and width ranges with maturity to 40 inches or more. Leaflets aresmooth, dark green above--137A on The Royal Horticultural Society colorscale--and 138B on the lower surface. Leaflet shape is similar to thatof the Lutea Hybrid pollen parent, apices acuminate, margins more orless deeply incised, retaining this character from the Paeonia luteaancestor. Large leaves are twice ternately divided to the mid-rib andthere is a tendency of the two deepest incisions of the leaflet marginsto form a partial third level of ternate division, as is characteristicof the genus. The applicant plant is considered to be an extremelyuseful landscape plant both for its flowering qualities and itsseason-long interest as a transitional form between low to medium woodyplants and finer textured herbaceous perennials or in other applicationswhere a relatively heavy plant of the size is desired.

Therefore the applicant plant is considered unique because of flowerform, the hue of its flower petals, the dependability of its flowerperformance in a range of climates, the length of its flowering period,its superior plant habit and its overall landscape appeal.

The accompanying illustration is reproduced from an original photographof the applicant plant, the color being as reasonably true as ispossible in a color illustration of this character.

SUMMARY

Parentage:

Seed parent.--`Carr East #2` (non-patent).

Pollen parent.--Paeonia (Lutea Hybrid) `Alice Harding` (non-patent).

Flower:

Blooming habit.--Annually, long flowering, considered late season.

Bud.--Size 13 Large. Form -- Ovate, smooth and somewhat pointed. Color-- Petals 8B-6C as first color shows. Sepals -- Very smooth, soft greenwith wash of pink at edges, speckles of brownish green. Calyx --Polysepalous. Peduncle -- To 10 inches length on both terminal andaxillary flowers; colored like the sepals. Opening -- Easily, adependable performer.

Bloom.--Size -- Large, 6-8 inches diameter. Borne -- Singly, one mainbud per penduncle. Form -- Tree peony type semi-double, progressivelytransformed stamen segments form inner petals. Petalage -- Double. Color-- Petals 8B to 6C at earliest expansion, passing to 4B at petal fall.Variegations --0 Red flares at the bases of petals and filamentssurround pale green and pink center.

Petals.--Texture -- Thick, plump. Appearance -- Cupped, ruffled andexotic. Form -- Ruffled, sometimes crenulate edges. Arrangement --Imbricate. Persistence -- Above average. Fragrance -- Mild lemonfragrance, from Paeonia lutea. Lastingness -- Above average.

Genital organs.--Stamens -- Anthers and filaments present. Pollen --Present in small amounts, viability poor to none. Styles, stigmasovaries -- present, no fertility seen. Fruit -- Develops without seedformation.

Plant.--Form: Bush, medium height, wider than tall in mature plant.Growth: Healthy, strong, vigorous. Foliage: Leaflets -- 9, occasionallymore. Size -- Large compound leaf. Quantity -- Moderate number ofleaves. Color -- 137A on upper surface, 138B underside. Shape --Bi-ternately compound; leaflets widely elliptic, margins smoothlyincised, apices acuminate. Texture -- Smooth, with lustrous surface.Margins -- Smooth, no serration. Leaf stem -- Thick, hard. Stipules --None. Disease resistance -- Resistant to leaf spot and other leaf andcrown diseases as observed in the originators garden; no unfavorableobservations reported from other trial sites.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct peony plant cultivar of Itoh hybrid peonycharacterized by its rare yellow color, flower form, dependability offlowering, length of flowering period and superior plant habit,substantially as shown and described.